How do you communicate with family members on the ship?

[goldgirl2]

We will be sailing with our adult children, my son and his partner ( both are first time cruisers), who are mid 20’s and my daughter who is 20. If we do not all have voom, what is the best way to communicate on the ship? Im more concerned about my daughter then the guys since she is alone in her room. She is very independent. Left Home at a young age to attend a boarding school for music and lives on her own at school. Has traveled extensively on her own. Yet, here I am worried about her.

 

 

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[fillmoreranger]

I recently asked a similar question. With ship Wi-Fi, you have numerous choices. Without Wi-Fi, its more challenging. Some wrote that they used walkie-talkies, but they said that was hit or miss. Others wrote that they posted notepads or white boards on their door to leave messages. Mixed results there too.

 

To avoid unexpected roaming charges on your phone, I heard folks place them in airplane mode, then activate the ship’s wi-fi.

 

 

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[bouhunter]

Talk to them. Leave sticky notes.

[goldgirl2]

I thought I read that you could use iMessage without voom. Anyone here have experience with that?

 

 

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[TrinaLC]

She is 20 and you say very independent. Let her be!

 

 

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[cruiseguy1016]

You can leave voice messages on the phones in the cabins. Let each other know where you'll be and when you'll be there. We almost always travel with friends. On day one of the cruise we pick a spot (usually near the pool) and that becomes "our spot". When you want to just relax and hang out, go to "our spot". If you're looking for someone in the group, go to "our spot". If that person is not there maybe another member of the group has seen him/her or knows where he/she is.

[poncho1973]

"Hello family! How are you today? What time do you want to do ITEM A? Cool."

[holden0301]

We text

[Clarea]

We will be sailing with our adult children, my son and his partner ( both are first time cruisers), who are mid 20’s and my daughter who is 20. If we do not all have voom, what is the best way to communicate on the ship? Im more concerned about my daughter then the guys since she is alone in her room. She is very independent. Left Home at a young age to attend a boarding school for music and lives on her own at school. Has traveled extensively on her own. Yet, here I am worried about her.

If you will not be sending many texts, you can use the ship's cell tower and pay $0.50 per text you send.

[blackshirt]

I thought I read that you could use iMessage without voom. Anyone here have experience with that?

Only true on certain ship’s. Those that support the Royal IQ app, I believe.

[Clarea]

Only true on certain ship’s. Those that support the Royal IQ app, I believe.

Correct, only on Quantum class ships and Harmony.

[dssking]

What about the FRS walkie-talkies? They work well....... the only issue is that there are a limited numbers of frequencies therefore you may have other traffic from other families also using them. But they work well for being on the ship as well as on shore. And they're cheap......... about $30 for a pair and they have a 25 mile range.

[papaflamingo]

Are your cabins near each other? If so, simply leave a sticky note on the door as to where you are headed. Otherwise, everyone gets wifi and you can use texts and wifi calling.

[davekathy]

"Hello family! How are you today? What time do you want to do ITEM A? Cool."

 

Are you actually suggesting face to face talking and a little planning. ;)

[L1211]

New to RCI and have been sailing NCL. They have an in-app purchase for phone and text - $15 pp I think. We are traveling with two 18 year olds on spring break so communicating with them will be important. Still in booking. I think it will be Harmony. Do they have anything similar? Sorry, not trying to hijack, just a good reminder that I need to think of this and so many things I don't know!!!

 

 

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[Clarea]

New to RCI and have been sailing NCL. They have an in-app purchase for phone and text - $15 pp I think. We are traveling with two 18 year olds on spring break so communicating with them will be important. Still in booking. I think it will be Harmony. Do they have anything similar? Sorry, not trying to hijack, just a good reminder that I need to think of this and so many things I don't know!!!

Harmony has the Royal IQ App, free download, $8 per device per cruise for texting.

 

Also reported on Harmony is free iMessage texting without needing to purchase an internet package, but no way to know how long this will last.

[travelinmoma]

New to RCI and have been sailing NCL. They have an in-app purchase for phone and text - $15 pp I think. We are traveling with two 18 year olds on spring break so communicating with them will be important. Still in booking. I think it will be Harmony. Do they have anything similar? Sorry, not trying to hijack, just a good reminder that I need to think of this and so many things I don't know!!!

 

 

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Yes. This is one thing I loved about NCL. I'm not sure why other cruise ships/lines can't make this happen. I mean who wants to keep running back to the room to read a note to find out where people are or running back to the room to leave a note about where you are going next?

 

 

We have a group of 18 going on Explorer in May. I have a feeling this inability to communicate easily will be a problem. It was on our Carnival cruise a few years ago. On NCL, it was so easy and well worth the money. I think we paid around $8/pp.

[jean87510]

I would just get the internet package and tell them to get it also. I am surprised if they don't want it being that they are in their 20's (I have 5 children ages 15 to 27 and can't imagine them with internet access for 5 minutes - but I digress). This way you can email them where you are and vice versa. It is how I found my husband during a transatlantic when I was up and running around at 6am and he was sleeping in. Plus it's a great way to research places or just keep up with the world or whatever. Beats playing bingo.

[Desert Cruizers]

During our last TA this past August, I texted our daughter regularly and she was back in the States. If we are together, then we plan our day on board and arrange to meet at a certain time and location if going in different directions. Our family of 4 did this a few years ago. I have never taken the internet because I choose to not worry about emails until I am home. If I need to communicate then I will use my phone to text.

[dpostman]

With our Group on Anthem, many in the group did not have the Voom package, but my own family did. We used the Royal iQ texting feature to contact group members, and used Google Hangouts for my family.

 

I disabled the Facebook and Messenger app on my phone during the cruise so I did not get any FB Notifications. Airplane mode on phone makes the phone battery last longer, even after you re-enable the WiFi. Was able to check emails every now and then just to make sure the Dog Kennel did not try to reach us.

 

This worked out great. If we were running a bit late from one activity, we did not feel we were rushed to have to run and meet the group at a specific location or time, that would really be annoying to me. Any change of plans could be dealt with very quickly and easily. If you cruise with kids or a group, there are lots of plan changes. If you cruise and do nothing but lay around all day, I'm sure it is easy to get away with sticky notes. But on the mega ships with lots of activities, sticky notes and designated meeting area just don't cut it for us. My shipboard time is too valuable to be waiting in a designated spot.

 

dp

[cruiseguy1016]

What about the FRS walkie-talkies? They work well....... the only issue is that there are a limited numbers of frequencies therefore you may have other traffic from other families also using them. But they work well for being on the ship as well as on shore. And they're cheap......... about $30 for a pair and they have a 25 mile range.

 

The only place they will have a range of 25 miles is across open water. On a ship built out of metal, they will not work well. Across one deck, maybe, but from one end of the ship to the other and up or down a deck or two, probably not. The use of these have been discussed many times on these boards. Some people have had luck using them. Others?, not so much.

[poncho1973]

Are you actually suggesting face to face talking and a little planning. ;)

 

Shocking, I know!

 

Put your devices in the safe and have a wonderful, relaxing vacation!!!

[jamesr3939]

Get the WiFi and text or call.

[njkruzer]

The only place they will have a range of 25 miles is across open water. On a ship built out of metal, they will not work well. Across one deck, maybe, but from one end of the ship to the other and up or down a deck or two, probably not. The use of these have been discussed many times on these boards. Some people have had luck using them. Others?, not so much.

 

Dh and I have Motorola walkie talkies and don't have any problems with them. Texting wouldn't work for us because my computer guy doesn't have/want a smartphone! Have used them on Quantum, Voyager class and others but not Oasis class.

[goldgirl2]

She is 20 and you say very independent. Let her be!

 

 

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I know her. And she will want to hang out with us or her brother on sea days. Sometimes it’s hard to find someone at the pool!

 

 

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